Pardew primed for transfer activity

23 August 2011 04:00

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is preparing for tense conclusion to the summer transfer window after finding his club embroiled in a series of rows.

The Magpies will spend the next week or so attempting to finally land the left-back and the striker they want before next Wednesday's deadline, with Sochaux having referred their pursuit of Modibo Maiga to FIFA after Charlton fired a similar warning shot across their bows by contacting the Barclays Premier League over their interest in keeper Rob Elliot.

"I can't tell you anything about that," said Pardew. "My brief is to highlight players I think would take the club forward, and the club's job is to get it over the line. I am not involved in that."

There was no official comment from the club either after Sochaux released a statement on their official website, www.fcsochaux.fr, confirming their action with Mali striker Maiga having been conspicuous by his absence from their squad since the Magpies' interest in him became known.

It said: "On Monday August 22, 2011, FC Sochaux-Montbeliard sent a referral to FIFA with the aim of obtaining (assurances) on the part of Newcastle United that they will stop their contacts with Modibo Maiga, who is under contract with FCSM until 2014.

"This (contact) is in violation of Article 18 of the current international regulations. This measure comes after Sochaux demanded without success, in an official manner and on two occasions, that the English club put a stop to their actions."

The development is a further complication for Pardew, who has been firmly linked with PSV Eindhoven full-back Erik Pieters and Lyon counterpart Aly Cissokho, and a loan move for Manchester City's Wayne Bridge, in recent weeks as well as Maiga and a series of other frontmen.

However, he remains hopeful that the club's strategy will eventually pay off.

He said: "You need to have some sort of strategic planning about what you are doing and some sort or game plan, and hopefully we are going to call that right.

"But you can get something out of the woodwork which throws it into disarray and you need Plan B and then you need Plan C. We are hoping we stick to Plan A, but we will see."